Sunday 27 January 2013

When Is It Time To Say Goodbye To Your Makeup?

I find it really hard when I have to throw some sort of cosmetic away. And when it's in a pretty container, I swear my eyes water a little. But there will come a time where something just gets so old that you need to toss it out. So here's the question: When is it time? Here are some tips on when you need to say goodbye!

Eyeshadows
My lovers, my babies, my necessities. Those colours, how will I be able to let go of them? Suck it up, Mandy. Do you want to wear old eyeshadow? Ew, no.
Cream eyeshadows can last 3-6 months, depending on how much sunlight and air they are exposed to, and powdered shadows can last up to a year. It's really important that you take good care of your eye products because if you wear an old shadow or liner for too long you are putting yourself at risk for an infection. Been there, done that. Not fun.

Eyeliners
Liquid eyeliners are the same as the cream shadows. After about 3 months, you should start thinking about throwing them away. Pencil liners can last about a year or so. If you are paranoid about how much bacteria is on your liner, opt for pencil liners instead of the self-sharpening ones. When you sharpen them, it removes some if not all bacteria that is on it.

Foundation and Powder
Foundation is great to have around, but isn't always the cheapest cosmetic out there. But it's a good thing that some foundations can last almost a year. I once saw on the Marilyn Denis show that if your foundation starts to smell weird or is a different colour than when you first put it on, it's time to throw it away. Since we sometimes put our fingers in our foundation, we are increasing the risk of adding bacterias, so make sure you watch how long you keep this product around!
Powders can last anywhere from 1-2 years. Since it has a small water content, there is less of a chance of bacteria growing on it.

Lipstick, gloss, and liner
Lipsticks and glosses have a long life, but since they have a bigger water content they can be home to more bacteria than powder. I recommend not having it for more than 14 months.
Lipliners are the same as the pencil eyeliners- if you want to avoid as much bacteria as possible, opt for the pencil liners.

Mascara
I always make the mistake of keeping my mascara for waaay too long. It gets all sticky and thick and really clumps up your lashes. Mascara probably has the largest water content of all cosmetics, so it's been said that buying a new tube every three months is the best thing to do. To avoid a lot of air entering your mascara tube, swirl it around while taking your wand out rather than pumping it.

As you can see, taking care of your cosmetics is extremely important for your skin! I had an eye infection a few months back because I was wearing old mascara and eyeliner all day... and then I forgot to remove it before going to bed. Seriously, I could not see out of my left eye for about 2 days.

xx Mandy  




  

Saturday 19 January 2013

Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Polish Review



If you guys remember my Boxing Week haul from a few weeks ago, then you'd remember my purchasing of an Xtreme Wear nail polish from Sally Hansen. Now, I've owned a few of these nail polishes before and I know how amazing they already are, but I wanted all of you to know about them! 

First of all, I've been wearing this nail polish for about a week now and there are only a few chips in two of my nails! It's always a great feeling when you find such a nice nail polish that lasts a while. Whenever I go out and buy some of these polishes, I get overwhelmed by all the colours that are available, which is probably why I don't buy too many of them at once or else I'll end up buying all of them. On my shopping spree, I only got one of them so I could try out other polishes. The shade I got was Shade #060 in Lacey Lilac. I can't even begin to tell you how gorgeous this colour is. So many people told me they loved the colour, aswell! It's definitely a great pastel colour that I'll be wearing a lot more in the spring time.
(From Google) Sally Hansen Hard As Nail Xtreme Wear Nail Colour in Lacey Lilac



HOW CUTE IS THAT COLOUR? 

Sorry, I get excited over nail polish sometimes...

Anywhooo, I give this nail polish a 4.5/5! One of my favourites!

xx Mandy

Friday 18 January 2013

Liebster Award

It took me a few days to notice this, but I was nominted by Olivia (http://www.teenawake.blogspot.co.uk/) for the Liebster Award! Check out her blog, she is truly fabulous :)

I don't really know how to describe what the Liebster Award is, so I will just copy 'n paste what Olivia had written on her blog:

What is the Liebster Award? I only just found out myself! 

The Liebster award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. What does Liebster mean though?  Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest and welcome. 

The rules of the award are that each person must post 11 things about themselves, answer the questions that the person who awarded them provided and then create 11 more questions to ask the 11 more people you wish to give the award to... right. Here goes. 

Okay so 11 things about myself: 
1. My favourite feature about myself is definitely my eyes. I always get complimented on them :) 
2. Peanut butter is a staple in my day to day living. I haven't gone a day without peanut butter in a looong time. 
3. I am a vegetarian of 1 year, 2 months, 4 weeks 
4. I am a huge health freak but I still love to indulge in sweets a few times a week. It's all about the 80-20 rule for me 
5. I own a cat named Claws who is 23 years old
6. I get up at 6 every morning... even on weekends
7. Fashion has always been my love, but I am considering going to university to study Nutrition.
8. My best friend and I always talk about owning a bakery
9. I have 3 siblings- an older sister, a younger sister, and a younger brother
10. If you have an iphone, don't be surprised if I take a ton of selfies
11. For the past 4 and a half months, I have been by my dad's side while he fights cancer. I love him very much ♥

And now the questions I was asked to answer:
1. Sandals or flip flops and why?
Oh, that's a hard one. Ummm probably sandles, but if I really want to be casual I'll grab a pair of flip flops.
2. Lipstick or lip gloss and why?
Lipstick. I've never been a huge fan of shiny lips and lipstick has a more bolder look to it- which I love!
3. What would be your fashion nightmare?
I think it'd have to be wearing too many loud accesories/pieces of clothing at once.  
4. What about your fashion dream?

There are a lot! Finally have my own cosmetics and fashion line, working for a fashion magazine; basically anything in the fashion industry! :)
5. What's the best moisturiser you've ever used?
I always go with St. Ives. Gotta love it!
6. Would you colour in/dye your eyebrows or do you leave them alone?

I leave my eyebrows alone because I don't think they need anything done to them.
7. Are you a tea lover, coffee lover or neither?

TEA ALL THE WAY! ♥
8. Would you shop in a charity shop for new trends?

Of course! I've done it many times before and have walked away with some cute pieces.
9. Have you ever DIY your own clothes?

Yupp, I have cut some of my older t-shirts into workout tanks and a pair of high waist jeans into shorts. 
10. What is your aim for 2013?
For my early career in fashion to take off! Baby steps, though. 
11. What do you aim to achieve with your blog in the next 5 years? 
Hopefully I can get to know some of my readers better and have a very successful blog!

WHO DO I TAG? Well, here they are! Now, to be honest I don't know many blogs to chose right now, so I'm going to have to break the rules a bit. But these three blogs I did end up chosing are fantabulous so please check them out and follow! :) 
 
http://fashion4teens.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.bbloggerschat.blogspot.ca/
http://sophie-said.blogspot.co.uk/

Please either tweet me @TheMandyBirch, or simply comment on this post when you have posted your answers to the following questions! :)

1. When did you first get into fashion/makeup?
2. Who is your biggest inspiration? (Fashion or not)
3. Favourite makeup brand?
4. Favourite clothing brand?
5. If you had your own clothing/cosmetics line, what would you name it?
6. Do you plan on having a career in the fashion industry in the future?
7. What is one beauty product you could not live without?
8. Who would you say is your 'biggest fan'?
9. Favourite beauty guru from Youtube? 
10. How often do you go shopping?
11. Peanut butter or jelly? 


xx Mandy        


      
        

Sunday 13 January 2013

Understanding Makeup Part Three: Face

Finally, the third and final Understanding Makeup post! Again, I apologize for the lack of posting, but it's the end of the semester, which means tons of final projects and lots of studying for exams. Ewwwww

But anywho, this post will be all about face makeup. Let's goooo!

Foundation
Personally, I do not cover my entire face with foundation. I usually just apply it where I have a blemish. This makeup is great for those icky days where you have a zit that is bugging the heck outta you. Foundation is also great for evening out your skin tone. When buying some, always avoid buying one that is way too dark or way too light for your skin tone. There will most likely be someone at the store who can help you find your right shade, so don't be afraid to ask! Foundation can also come in a pressed powder form. The foundation that I am currently using is the Natureluxe Silk Foundation from Covergirl. I've written a review about it already, but just to summerize, it's very lightweight and doesn't make your skin feel tight!
 http://www.covergirl.ca/en_ca/prodimages/natureluxe_liquid_silk_foundation_1.jpg


Concealer
ALWAYS BE SURE YOU BUY ONE THAT MATCHES YOUR FOUNDATION. I capitalized that whole sentence because believe it or not I've seen one too many girls who weren't too smart when they bought their concealers/ foundations. However, I always tell people that it is okay to buy a concealer that is a shade or two darker then their foundation. It's better that way than to have it too light and make it look like one of those terrible 'I fell asleep outside in the sun while wearing sunglasses' looks. Who wants that? Anyways, a good reason to have concealer around is to hide those annoying dark circles most people get under their eyes. Foundation can hide them a little bit, but it is a bit thinner than concealor, therefore it is not the best choice Concealer is also great to cover up any redness you may have around your nose and mouth. I recommend the PhotoReady Concealer from Revlon.
  
Primers
Don't you hate it when you put on your makeup and look all fancy-shmancy just before going out, and when you get home it's all smudged and in places it wasn't before? Ugh, it's terrible. That's why I love primer. Face primer, eye primer, eyelid primer. I personally only use eye lid primer because, like I said before, I don't like to put makeup all over my face. Eyelid primer saves the day for me. It stops my eye shadows and liners from creasing and smudging. When you apply it, it smoothes out your lid to make the job of applying makeup easier and leaves it looking better. The eyelid primer that I would recommend is elf's Eyelid Primer (which by the way, is only $1. ONE WHOLE DOLLAR!) 

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m0awxw9WmE1qzaz2w.jpg

Bronzers/Blushes
I'd have to say that one of the biggest makeup faux-pas trends that are out there these days is the abuse of bronzers. Yes, it will make you appear more tanned, but use too much of it and you'll end up looking like a carrot. I'm sorry but if you want to be darker, I recommend just going out and tanning. Or better yet, love the skin you're in. Embrace it! You don't need to be tanned all year round! I prefer using bronzers as a highlighter to contour my face. Suck in your cheeks and apply to the hollows of them. Then highlight right around your hairline and temples. Finally, make sure you get around your neck and under your chin to make sure your face doesn't end up being darker than everywhere else. For blushes, opt for something that doesn't show easily. And in my honest opinion, I do not prefer ones that shimmer. I don't like the look of a sparkly face. To apply, simply smile and put on the apples your cheeks in a circular motion. Covergirl's line of blush is a great one to use! 

Cheekers Blush

I don't have much to say in terms of brushes, but anything that is soft and doesn't shed is a keeper! 

I hope you guys enjoyed reading these last three posts on makeup, and I certainly hope it has expanded your knowledge on how to apply it, and which tools and products are best to use! Once exams are over with, I will hopefully have more time to post other things. Oh, and I always love hearing your feedback so please let me know what you guys think of how I'm doing so far!

xx Mandy

Tuesday 8 January 2013

Understanding Makeup Part Two: Lips

I hope you all enjoyed my first Understanding Makepup post!

Tonight's topic is lips. Now, there aren't nearly as many lip cosmetics as there are eye cosmetics. But here are some stuff you may find interesting when dressing up those smackers!

Lip Stick and Lip Gloss
When you want to make your eyes stand out by wearing makeup, you automatically think about what eyeshadow to use, right? Eyeshadows, eyeliners, etc. can help your eyes pop, but did you know that lip stick and lip gloss can also help?

For example, if you have blue eyes like myself, opt for nudes, pinks, and bright reds. For brown eyes, red lipsticks with green, orange, or gold undertones are your bestfriends. And for those green eyes, go for lipsticks that are pink, and ones that have green, red, or brown undertones.

Lip Liners
A must have for all of you lip stick lovers! If you have lips that are a little uneven in one section, a lip liner can save the day. These pencils help fill in those areas, creating fuller looking lips. Also, it stops your lip stick from "bleeding" (moving off of your lips, sort of like smudging on its own... bleh). Try to make sure your liner is close to the shade of lipstick you are using, unless you are going for the "outlined" look, which I personally find a makeup no-no. 

Red Lips
Kim Kardashian

One of the biggest trends out there right now. Red lips give off a bolder, sexier look. I love wearing red lip stick because it makes me look a little older, but not too old.

When wearing a brighter shade of red, try not to over do your eye makeup. The way I see it, it makes you look like a clown. A great combo is a pearl/ beige shadow over your lid, with a simple winged eyeliner to go with your bright red lips.
     
Darker reds are best for night time looks. This is when you can go a bit heavier with your eyeliner and shadows. Try a smokey eye!

I hope you enjoyed reading this post! And remember to keep your lips hydrated by applying a good chapstick with SPF so they won't dry out. I apologize for not posting this the day after my eye makeup post, but school does come first. Hopefully I can get up my last Understanding Makeup post (Face) tomorrow!

xx Mandy

Friday 4 January 2013

Understanding Makeup Part One: Eyes

Earlier, I decided I was going to do an Understanding Makeup section of the blog, made up of three different posts: Eyes, Lips, and Face. For each post, I will talk about what kind of makeup you can use for the certain area, give descriptions of some of the products, the tools used, and some different looks that you might be interested in.

Eyes
Honestly, any kind of eye makeup is my favourite makeup. I love playing up my baby blues and trying out different styles and colours to make them pop [more].

Eye Shadows   
So many colours, so little time- right? I get extremely overwhelmed when I try to decide what colour I should use that day. Do I want to go blue? Maybe bright green? Ugh, this shouldn't be so hard.

Eye shadow is applied all over the eye lid, the crease, and right under the brow. It adds shape, depth, dimmension, and can sometimes create illusions to make your eyes appear a different way than they are. It can come in many different forms, which are the following:
  • Sheer- a very faint shadow, comes in pressed form
  • Matte- solid colour eye shadow
  • Powder- comes in pressed form and is the most common type of eye shadow used
  • Liquid- applied with a sponge or brush specifically made for this shadow; comes in matte or shimmer
  • Shimmer- has a sparkle or metallic tint to the colour
  • Pigment/Loose Powder- applied the same way as powder shadow, but is not pressed
  • Baked- pressed; marbleized and baked in an oven; can be used dry or wet
  • Cream- creamier than powder; can be shimmery or matte; commonly used as a base on the lid 
  • Pencils- cream eye shadow in a pencil form
Pigment/ Loose Eye Shadow

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils


Eyeliners
Oh, the eyeliner. So bold and so much fun to use. I prefer liner over shadow because it finishes everything off and can make such dramatic looks. But, you can use an eye shadow as a liner, using a liner brush (see Eye Brushes below).
  • Liquid- hardest to use; best to buy in pen form because you have more control over them
  • Pencil- great for lining your water lines; make sure you have a sharpener for these
  • Gel/Cream- a good creamy eye liner is very bold and shows well
 
Eye Brushes
There are so many different eye brushes that you can use when it comes to applying eye shadow.
SEPHORA COLLECTION - Classic Angled Liner/Eyeliner Brush #15
Liner 
Applies a thin line of colour on the lid and defines the eye; apply right above/on the lashline

SEPHORA COLLECTION - Classic All Over Shadow Brush - Small #22 
All Over 
Great for any area of the eye and most types of eye shadow

SEPHORA COLLECTION - Classic Smudge Brush #14 
Smudge
Blends colours and expand smudge lines   

SEPHORA COLLECTION - Classic Rounded Crease Brush #13 
Crease
Adds colour to the crease; great for smokey eyes

These are just a few of the many brushes used for eye makeup.

Trends
Next time you want to switch up your look, try out these trends!

  Cat's Eye
Often seen on actress Angelina Jolie. While applying eye liner (opt for liquid or gel) on your upper lash line, sweep it out right to where your crease stops (or go farther for a more dramatic look).
Winged Eyeliner
Very similar to the Cat's Eye look, but when you sweep your liner out, bring it up to make a wing. My personal favourite, aswell.
Smokey Eyes
Probably the most popular look of all, not to mention simple. Though it is hard to describe in writing, there are many tutorials on youtube, and it's likely that I will be uploading my own tutorial at some point :) 

Wow, that was a long post. I hope this gives you a bit of an idea of how to use eye makeup. Tomorrow, I will write about how to use lipsticks and how to get that perfect red lipstick look that is in right now. 
xx Mandy
 


Eye Shadow Types:
http://www.examiner.com/article/what-are-the-different-types-of-eyeshadow-eyeshadow-101

All Eye Brushes are from Sephora:
http://www.sephora.com/

Thursday 3 January 2013

In The Know: Street Style

We've all heard of the trend Street Style or Street Fashion, but what exactly is it? 

Street fashion is fashion that is considered to have emerged not from studios, but from the grassroots. Street fashion is generally associated with youth culture, and is most often seen in major urban centers. Japenese street fashion sustains multiple simultaneous highly diverse fashion movements at any given time. Mainstream fashion often appropriates street fashion trends as influences. Most major youth subcultures have had an associated street fashion. 
                                                                                                                                      -Wikipedia

I don't know about you, but I am in love with Street Style. As mentioned in my very first blog post, everytime I'm downtown, I get overwhelmed by all the different looks I see. My personal favourite is the hipster look. 
Some other types of Street Style are:
Hippies
Teddy Boys
 Punk- as seen on the well known singer Avril Lavigne
Skinhead
Street Style never looks the same. It is so easy to add your own flare to it and make it an original look, whether it's an accessory, or your shoes. There is something about Street Style that appeals to me more than clothing on the runway.